A Barn Owl was seen landing in the waste ground adjacent to Carrickfergus Marina/Sailing Club at 1100hrs today. It stayed about 30 mins and flew off in the direction of Belfast being given a hard time by the local gulls and crows (Nigel Thompson, Carrickfergus Harbour Master).

3 Twite and up to 2 Wheatear were at Ballintoy Harbour this morning (Ronnie Milligan)Yesterday 2 Pink-footed Geese were still at Castle Espie and a single Pink-footed Goose with a Greylag at the Maltings (Ivan McDonald).

There are two seats available on this Wednesday's boat trip to Islay. Please contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 for more details. Over 20,000 Barnacle Geese (and a few vagrant Canada Geese) are currently on the Island.

The Ring-necked Duck & 15 fly over Greenland White-fronts were at Lough Mourne, Co Antrim. A Slavonian Grebe was at Glynn (Neal Warnock)

A Wheatear and 2 Mediterranean Gulls (a 2nd winter and a 1st winter) were at Rossglass. A Kestrel, 2 Redpoll and a Goldcrest were at St John's Point. (Tim Murphy)

A juvenile Ring-necked Duck was at Lough Beg. The female type Smew was still present (David Steele)

A pair of Red Kites were flying over fields between Soldierstown Road, Aghalee and the Motorway. 9 Whooper Swans were with three young just past Gawleys Gate. (Ralph Walker)

The Pink-footed Goose and a Barnacle Goose were a mile north of Ballycarry Bridge on the Island Magee side. (Cameron Moore)

A Short-eared Owl was near Ballymacormick Lagoon this afternoon (Colin Guy)

Martin Garner - Many of our readers will be familiar with Martin from his time living here in NI with Sharon and the girls. Martin found many rarities in NI, regularly contributes on local bird ID (even on species that are not rare!), is a member of the NIBARC, and through his Birding Frontiers blog provides many though provoking articles. Some of you will also know that Martin has recently been ill. He has however provided a public update on his condition at http://bigddt.com/2015/10/24/i-got-stuff-to-do/

This Leach’s Petrel was found last night in Main Street, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh. It seem to be uninjured, just confused and spent the night in a cardboard box. It is going to Donegal later to be returned back to the sea. (John Young)

The Spoonbill was at Islandhill, Strangford Lough along with 14 Little Egret. 2 Pinkfeet were with 38 Greylags in fields near Castle Espie (Gerard McGeehan).

The Ring-necked Duck was with 20 Tufted Duck at Lough Mourne (Joe Lamont).

The juvenile/first-winter Glossy Ibis was along the western shore of Lough Beg. The female/immature Smew was also present (David Steele).

An adult Mediterranean Gull was along the seafront at Whitehead (Cameron Moore).

A juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper was at Inch Lake in Donegal. (Irish Birding/David Hunter).

Thanks to Chris Easton for the picture of a Purple Sandpiper, to Christine Cassidy for the picture of the Sparrowhawk, to David Hunter for the pictures of the Whooper Swans and the White-rumped Sandpiper(left hand bird) and to Gareth Platt for the pictures of the Ring-billed Gull and the partial albino Jackdaw:

Eric Dempsey is giving a talk this evening, at 7:30 at the NIOC meeting at the Ulster Museum, Belfast. His 'Don't Die in Autumn' talk features extracts from his new and highly regarded book. Everyone is welcome.

Eric is also the author of a number of key books about birds and birding around Ireland and this promises to be a great talk.

A Buzzard that was seen on Rathlin Island yesterday had unusual colouration and a striking red tail with a tail band (Jim Wells / Gerry Bond). Any comments about this bird or similar birds elsewhere are welcome.The Buzzard appears to be a possible Steppe Buzzard, dark trailing edge to uniformly brownish upperwing and broad subterminal band on tail (Forsman The raptors of Europe and the Middle East) These feature appear to be shown well in the photograph, Steppe Buzzard appears in N and E Europe and is a long distant migrant, with winds coming from the east over the last week this would seem to give the bird more credence.

Thanks to Gerry Bond for the Buzzard pic below. More pics are on our bird pics blog:

Another 5 Pink-footed Geese where at Reedy Flats, Lough Neagh. 5 Swallow where also seen. (James O'Neill) see pic below

A 1st winter Med. Gull was at Portrush east strand car-park.(Colin Guy) see pic below.

Our thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the two pics of the Pink - footed Geese and the Peregrine. Also thanks to Colin Guy for the 1st winter Med. Gull at Portrush and also to Jason Bain for the Hen Harrier attacking a Hooded Crow. Bottom pic is of the 5 Pink-footed Geese at Reedy Flats taken by James O'Neill.

Welcome

This site is run by a voluntary group of birders documenting and recording information about the birds and wildlife of Northern Ireland. We provide information on rarities and interesting sightings so that others can enjoy. The sightings on this blog are not accepted records - rarities need to be confirmed, see https://nirbc.blogspot.co.uk/